Community: Huntingburg
Launched: 1 graduate course
Engaged: 10 community members
Involved: 15 IU students, 1 JSoM faculty
Summary
Lauren Richerme is an associate professor of music education at the Jacobs School of Music teaching courses on music education foundations, philosophy, and sociology. Her course titled “Sociology of Music” (MUS-E517) focuses on the topic of rural community engagement. With support from the Center for Rural Engagement, Lauren shaped her class curriculum specifically around the town of Huntingburg, Indiana. The CRE worked in partnership with Lauren to help her class establish contacts in Huntingburg, conduct meaningful interviews with local residents, and draw conclusions about the relationship between sociology and music in rural communities.
“Grounding the Sociology of Music course (E517) in the question “How might Jacobs collaborate with Huntingburg?” made the course readings and discussions meaningful and engaging. The students demonstrated genuine dedication to the question and process, often going above and beyond course requirements to find additional information online and to offer suggestions (e.g., coming up with a class mission statement). In particular, I have been impressed with how they keep considering their role as outsiders, including struggling with the tension of providing resources from Jacobs while still valuing the rich musical lives that community members already possess. I hope to repeat and expand this project when I teach the class again in two years, and I might explore similar work with other courses.” -Lauren Richerme, Sociology of Music Course Professor
More on the Sociology of Music Project:
- Lauren Richerme: Biography.